1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for restricting the use of an application program used to process the measurement results of a measuring apparatus, system for authenticating the user of a measuring apparatus, authentication server, and client apparatus and computer readable storage medium stored an application program that allows a computer to function as a client apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Arts
There are well-known methods for restricting the use of an application program in which, when a user has been successfully authenticated, the user is restricted to using only those functions of the application program for which the user has been authenticated. A method for restricting the use of an application program has been proposed wherein, when an application (Java applets) including a plurality of functions is provided from a WWW server and operates in a WWW browser, the WWW server returns usage authority information of the plurality of functions to the WWW browser in response to a request from the application program, and the WWW browser checks the usage authority information and automatically changes the function usability (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-172646).
Furthermore, a method has been proposed wherein access to an object is permitted when there is an access request from a client over a communication network to an object on a server, and a determination as to whether or not the user of the client has authority to access the object results in the user having access authority (US Patent Application Publication No. US2003/0212806).
Measuring apparatuses are known which measure the quantities of various attributes of blood specimens, urine specimens, or particle specimens, such as blood analyzers, urine analyzers, and particle analyzers. This type of measuring apparatus typically requires very complex processing in order to analyze measurement results, and is separately provided with a computer on which are installed application programs for processing measurement results, such that computer executes these complex processes. Since the application program for processing the measurement results of the measuring apparatus has a very high functionality, when all users are permitted to use all functions, the application program or measuring apparatus settings may be carelessly changed, and important data may be deleted. Furthermore, it is important to have a plan for adequately managing users in order to ensure the safety of the measuring apparatus. Therefore, this type of conventional application program is provided with a user authentication function, and use restricting functions for each user group to which a user belongs.
In the case of the aforementioned conventional application programs used for processing the measurement results of the measuring apparatuses, since the use restriction function must be integrated into the application program, when the functions of restricted use are changed for a particular user group and when a new user group is recorded, the program codes must be changed for the functions of the use restriction function, thus requiring very complex labor. Furthermore, these changes cannot be performed by technicians who have detailed knowledge of the application program source code, and cannot be changed by the user supervisor.
Since such application programs have very high functionality, the server processing load is increased greatly and there is a large increase in communication data in structures such as thin client systems and the like that provide the functions of an application program from a server to a client over a communication network, such that the application program must be installed on a computer used by the user. However, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-172646 and US Patent Application Publication No. US2003/0212806 only disclose methods that provide the functions of an application program from a server to a client, and these methods are not applicable to restricting the use of functions of an application program used for processing the measurement results of measuring apparatus.